Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Plovdiv and Varna

For one person, living is cheaper in Plovdiv: $1,194 a month against $1,388 in Varna, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Plovdiv
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Plovdiv Living Index
68

Cost of Living Index in Varna
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Varna Living Index

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Plovdiv

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,194

/mo nomad

Varna

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,388

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Plovdiv and in Varna

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Plovdiv and in Varna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,194 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,388 in Varna, rent included.

Plovdiv $1,194
Varna $1,388

A couple spends around $1,842 per month in Plovdiv vs $2,192 in Varna, rent included.

Plovdiv $1,842
Varna $2,192

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Plovdiv vs $2,997 in Varna, rent included.

Plovdiv $2,489
Varna $2,997

Plovdiv is about 14% cheaper than Varna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Plovdiv sits 12% below the global median, while Varna is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.28 BGN 16.15

$12.74 BGN 22.16

-27.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.41 BGN 77.3

$59.9 BGN 104

-25.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 BGN 16.95

$10.21 BGN 17.77

-4.60%

Cappuccino

$2.87 BGN 4.99

$2.93 BGN 5.10

-2.05%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 BGN 3.02

$1.88 BGN 3.27

-7.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 BGN 2.63

$1.60 BGN 2.78

-5.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 BGN 4.42

$2.93 BGN 5.10

-13.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 BGN 7.38

$3.52 BGN 6.13

20.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 BGN 3.07

$1.90 BGN 3.30

-7.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 BGN 2.05

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 BGN 3.78

$2.57 BGN 4.47

-15.56%

Eggs

$3.76 BGN 6.53

$3.45 BGN 6.01

8.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.63 BGN 20.24

$11.30 BGN 19.66

2.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 BGN 14.67

$9.02 BGN 15.69

-6.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 BGN 24.67

$14.12 BGN 24.57

0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 BGN 2.85

$1.91 BGN 3.32

-14.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 BGN 3.12

$2.11 BGN 3.67

-14.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.45

$2.13 BGN 3.70

-7.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 BGN 4.44

$2.95 BGN 5.14

-13.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 BGN 1.87

$1.25 BGN 2.18

-13.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 BGN 1.83

$1.03 BGN 1.79

1.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 BGN 2.11

$1.07 BGN 1.86

13.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 BGN 1.25

$0.75 BGN 1.30

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 BGN 7.00

$3.97 BGN 6.92

1.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 BGN 10.63

$8.68 BGN 15.10

-29.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 BGN 1.97

$1.16 BGN 2.01

-2.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 BGN 3.62

$1.80 BGN 3.13

15.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 BGN 0.96

$0.89 BGN 1.55

-38.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.22 BGN 49.10

$28.87 BGN 50.2

-2.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 BGN 2.22

$1.61 BGN 2.80

-20.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 BGN 1.05

$0.91 BGN 1.58

-34.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 BGN 18.00

$12.08 BGN 21.02

-14.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 BGN 3.03

$1.75 BGN 3.04

-0.57%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.3K BGN 52.8K

$29.8K BGN 51.8K

1.94%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.4K BGN 42.4K

$25.4K BGN 44.2K

-3.97%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$112 BGN 195

$173 BGN 302

-35.34%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$18.46 BGN 32.12

$20.88 BGN 36.32

-11.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.48 BGN 26.94

$16.07 BGN 27.96

-3.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.07 BGN 71.5

$52.4 BGN 91.2

-21.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.27 BGN 35.26

$20.08 BGN 34.94

0.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 BGN 15.73

$8.86 BGN 15.42

2.03%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$522 BGN 907

$497 BGN 865

4.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,424 BGN 9,438

$6,315 BGN 11.0K

-14.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.1 BGN 120

$65.3 BGN 114

5.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.56 BGN 72.3

$33.69 BGN 58.6

23.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 BGN 166

$101 BGN 176

-5.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 BGN 182

$102 BGN 177

3.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 BGN 935

$626 BGN 1,089

-14.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 BGN 677

$462 BGN 805

-15.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 BGN 1,516

$1,326 BGN 2,307

-34.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 BGN 1,117

$888 BGN 1,545

-27.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,230 BGN 3,880

$2,992 BGN 5,205

-25.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,548 BGN 2,693

$2,161 BGN 3,760

-28.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,156 BGN 2,012

$1,283 BGN 2,232

-9.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.1

2.85

8.77%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Plovdiv: October 10, 2026

Last update for Varna: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Plovdiv

$389 32.6%

Varna

$462 33.3% 18.9% $74

Groceries & Markets

Plovdiv

$253 21.2%

Varna

$267 19.3% 5.6% $14

Eating Out

Plovdiv

$172 14.4%

Varna

$203 14.6% 18.1% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Plovdiv

$146 12.2%

Varna

$210 15.2% 44% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Plovdiv

$140 11.7%

Varna

$136 9.8% 2.9% $4

Sport & Entertainment

Plovdiv

$59 5%

Varna

$70 5.1% 18.6% $11

Getting Around

Plovdiv

$35 2.9%

Varna

$39 2.8% 11.1% $3.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $537 in Plovdiv versus $626 in Varna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 11% higher in Varna, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Plovdiv versus $60.0 in Varna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $267 – making Plovdiv the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Plovdiv

🇧🇬 Varna

🕒 Local time

13:03 1:03 PM

Same time as Plovdiv

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

368,983

348,058

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Plovdiv Varna 280 km

From you

Plovdiv
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Plovdiv vs Varna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,194 in Plovdiv, $1,388 in Varna – roughly 16% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,791 per month in Plovdiv and $2,082 in Varna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Plovdiv, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Plovdiv. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $522 per month in Plovdiv and $497 in Varna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Plovdiv, where all-in costs run around $1,194, than in Varna at $1,388. In Plovdiv it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Varna has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,194 in Plovdiv to $1,388 in Varna. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Plovdiv. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Varna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.